The Zerqa Triangle in Jordan is a steppe zone with low annual precipitation and high potential evaporation. The region is not suited to dry farming, at least not on a reliable scale. This applies... Show moreThe Zerqa Triangle in Jordan is a steppe zone with low annual precipitation and high potential evaporation. The region is not suited to dry farming, at least not on a reliable scale. This applies not only to the present, but also to a long stretch of the past. From c. 2300 BCE onwards, the climate was comparable, with the exception of a number of short wetter intervals. The prevailing assumption is that from the Late Bronze Age onwards the inhabitants of the Zerqa Triangle subsisted on products from irrigated land. A means to test the validity of this assumption is to measure the Δ13C value of their crops. This figure offers insight into the water availability during the growth of the plants. Barley crops from three sites in the Zerqa Triangle with dates from 1100 BCE to CE 1225 were analysed. The grain was grown during periods with dry climatic conditions. The outcome is that the barley fields were not well-watered, but were not as dry as the present-day rainfed fields in dry south-west Morocco (Styring et al., 2016) or the runoff fed fields in tributary wadis in the Negev Desert (Van Bommel et al., 2021). It might be that truly rainfed fields were cultivated in addition to irrigated fields and gardens during the successive periods. That irrigation systems existed is known (Kaptijn, 2009). An alternative is the combination of crop raising based on precipitation with some boosts from irrigation. Anyhow, the assumption that crops could only be obtained through a well-functioning irrigation system should be questioned. Show less
There are very few states in the world, if any, that are in full compliance with human rights norms. Instead, states tend to comply with some articles of a human rights treaty extensively, only up... Show moreThere are very few states in the world, if any, that are in full compliance with human rights norms. Instead, states tend to comply with some articles of a human rights treaty extensively, only up to certain extent with some, and openly violate others. Up to now, we have not been able to unravel these patchworks of compliance. This study presents a political dialogue model to start this process of unraveling. It shows how political decision-makers create patchworks of compliance, as they need to mediate between the mismatching norms of different national and international communities. When successful, such dialogues allow decision-makers to make small improvements in human rights compliance. However, when communities are not sufficiently represented in the dialogue or their norms are being violated, harmful backlash effects against human rights can develop. This study has a mixed-methods approach. It analyzes the implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights in a global quantitative study and two in-depth case studies of Jordan. Show less
The aim of this research is to assign the provenance of marble samples uncovered from the extra-mural Byzantine Church of Udhruh (Augustopolis), south Jordan. The church is a three-nave basilica... Show moreThe aim of this research is to assign the provenance of marble samples uncovered from the extra-mural Byzantine Church of Udhruh (Augustopolis), south Jordan. The church is a three-nave basilica that most probably was built in the fifth century CE. In later expansion phases, it was remodeled by the addition of two side chapels and several rooms. The research investigated the physical, mineralogical, and isotopic properties of twenty-four marble samples of different functions using naked eyes, lenses, and multiple analytical techniques including optical microscopy, mass spectrometry, and X-ray diffraction. The results showed that the architectural elements were made of the gray calcitic Proconnesus-1 marble (Marmara, Turkey); while the four fonts or basins were carved out of the beige dolomitic Thasos-3 marble (Thasos Island, Cape Vathy, Greece); and the small squared column of unknown function was carved out of the fine-grained white calcitic Penteli marble (Mount Pentelikon, Attica, Greece).The results indicate that the most popular supply of the ecclesial marble to the south (and north) Jordan during the Byzantine period was the gray Proconnesus-1. The use of white Penteli and Thasos-3 marbles were limited to ritual elements. Show less
The Safaitic rock art of the North Arabian basalt desert is a unique and understudied material, one of the few surviving traces of the elusive herding societies that inhabited this region in... Show moreThe Safaitic rock art of the North Arabian basalt desert is a unique and understudied material, one of the few surviving traces of the elusive herding societies that inhabited this region in antiquity. Yet little is known about this rock art and its role in the desert societies. Why did these peoples make carvings in the desert and what was the significance of this cultural practice? What can the rock art tell us about the relationship between the nomads and their desert landscape? This book investigates these questions through a comprehensive study of over 4500 petroglyphs from the Jebel Qurma region of the Black Desert in north-eastern Jordan. It explores the content of the rock art, how it was produced and consumed by its makers and audience, and its relationship with the landscape. This is the first-ever systematic study of the Safaitic petroglyphs from the Black Desert and it is unique for the study of Arabian rock art. It demonstrates the value of a material approach to rock art and the unique insights that rock art can provide into the relationship between nomadic herders and the wild and domestic landscape. Show less
The core goal of this paper is to bring to light and study the significance of a recently discovered Islamic inscription, found in the northeastern desert region of Jordan. This inscription has... Show moreThe core goal of this paper is to bring to light and study the significance of a recently discovered Islamic inscription, found in the northeastern desert region of Jordan. This inscription has subsequently been placed in the care of the Al-Mafraq Antiquities Office and Museum for its own safety and in order to protect its historic authenticity. The inscription itself has proved to be incredibly valuable as it provides further information on the climatic and environmental conditions during the 14th century AD. Show less
Throughout the basaltic uplands of northeastern Jordan, there are countless large and small mounds of stone (cairns), which are the burial places of people who roamed the desert many hundreds or... Show moreThroughout the basaltic uplands of northeastern Jordan, there are countless large and small mounds of stone (cairns), which are the burial places of people who roamed the desert many hundreds or thousands of years ago. These numerous graves have never been systematically investigated, and little is known about their construction, date, and variability, let alone about their deceased occupants. This picture is now changing owing to an ongoing program of survey and excavation in the Jebel Qurma region, close to the border of Jordan and Saudi Arabia. These investigations point towards complex and entangled arrangements of cairn use and mortuary practices over time, when Early Bronze Age cemeteries are replaced by singular, impressive tower tombs and conical ring cairns in the Hellenistic to Byzantine period. The reuse of these tombs is a recurrent feature, emphasizing the focal and enduring role of these monuments to both the dead and the living. Show less
The Middle East has recently witnessed the rise of Muslim youth movements with an activist agenda. This article shows that these movements prove particularly attractive to urban upper middle class... Show moreThe Middle East has recently witnessed the rise of Muslim youth movements with an activist agenda. This article shows that these movements prove particularly attractive to urban upper middle class youth for whom religious engagement is about fostering the collective good as well as about selfempowerment. The authors conclude by discussing whether these movements are conducive to political action, hinder formal political participation, or should be viewed as constituting a new form of political engagement. Show less
Jordan has been a particularly interesting location to observe the trends, patterns and dynamics of long-term emigration from Iraq over the last period of Baathist rule. Between the 1991 Gulf War... Show moreJordan has been a particularly interesting location to observe the trends, patterns and dynamics of long-term emigration from Iraq over the last period of Baathist rule. Between the 1991 Gulf War and the fall of Saddam Hussein, circulation between Iraq and all its other neighbours officially stopped periodically, whereas the flow of people, goods and capital never ceased across the border with Jordan, which remained Iraq's primary economic partner. The Jordanian authorities granted Iraqis almost unconditional entry; they allowed Iraqi international businessmen and cross border traders to skirt the embargo by using Amman as a base, tolerated the presence of the Iraqi intelligence services, and even admitted Iraqi opponents as long as they were not active politically. While airports in Iraq were closed due to the embargo, Jordan was the gateway to the outside worldÑnot only for the Iraqi business and political elite who were travelling internationally, but also for the hundreds of thousands of Iraqi exiles who left the Middle East over that period. Show less
During the last two decades the voluntary welfare associations' role in providing social services to the underprivileged in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan has been significantly enhanced.... Show moreDuring the last two decades the voluntary welfare associations' role in providing social services to the underprivileged in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan has been significantly enhanced. Important contributing factors to this development have been the process of political liberalization since 1989, increased economic hardship and rising levels of poverty (which were partly due to continuous state withdrawal from the domain of social welfare). Religious revival has also been a key factor and has greatly strengthened the role of voluntary associations with an Islamic background. Show less
Much has been written recently about the so-called 'crimes of honour' in Jordan. By now, the facts and fiction about those heinous crimes have become widely known. According to official statistics,... Show moreMuch has been written recently about the so-called 'crimes of honour' in Jordan. By now, the facts and fiction about those heinous crimes have become widely known. According to official statistics, about 25 women on average are killed every year for the sake of their families' 'honour'. The number of deaths that could also be categorized as such crimes but are recorded as suicides or accidents is much higher. Show less
In September 2001, the Greater Amman Municipality started an extensive project for the renovation of downtown Amman, supported by a Japanese loan of $58.8 million. One of the main goals of the... Show moreIn September 2001, the Greater Amman Municipality started an extensive project for the renovation of downtown Amman, supported by a Japanese loan of $58.8 million. One of the main goals of the project is to bolster tourism in the kingdom which has been negatively affected by Al-Aqsa Intifada and the 11 September attacks. Furthermore, Amman is the Cultural Capital of the Arab World 2002 and will thus become an important destination for Arab tourists. The Jordanian economy, always looking for cash money, desperately needs the revenues of a blossoming tourism industry. It is therefore only logical that Jordan tries to meet the expectations of Western and Arab visitors as a means to improve the national balance sheet. Show less
Al-Wihdat is a legendary camp in the history of the Palestinian struggle for liberation, self-determination and national identity. It was established in 1955 for 5,000 refugees, three kilometres to... Show moreAl-Wihdat is a legendary camp in the history of the Palestinian struggle for liberation, self-determination and national identity. It was established in 1955 for 5,000 refugees, three kilometres to the south of Amman's city centre and inhabited by refugees from the villages between Jaffa and Jerusalem. Shelters and tents dominated the camp scene until the early 1970s. Al-Wihdat was a main centre of activity of Palestinian nationalists in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Show less
It is a mass-produced plastic model of the octagonal Dome of the Rock shrine in Jerusalem. Two circular strips of paper glued round it depict the ceramic-faced outer walls. There is a slot for... Show moreIt is a mass-produced plastic model of the octagonal Dome of the Rock shrine in Jerusalem. Two circular strips of paper glued round it depict the ceramic-faced outer walls. There is a slot for coins to be inserted in the roof, and the dome slides off so that coins can be taken out. Mudar, the organiser of the Islamic Zakat Supporting Committee for the Palestinian People, gave me this collecting mosque in Amman, Jordan. I was there conducting a research project to study Islamic philanthropy and obligatory alms (z a k a t). Well, souvenir models of Christian churches are two a penny all over the world, and it would be incredible if some with slots for coins had not been made somewhere; but I do not remember seeing one. Could it be that my gift from Mudar has something to say about a difference between the two religions? Show less
